While you’re in Alice Springs, take the opportunity to pick up souvenirs that you’ll want to fill your luggage to the brim with. Wander through the many beautiful stores with this essential souvenir-shopping list to get you started.
Alice Springs is very easy to navigate, being a small town; all of the different shopping centres are within walking distance of each other. Wander down Todd Mall, and you’ll find a range of souvenir shops like Alice Springs Souvenir, which has a variety of mainstream items that you can pick up in one go. When shopping gets too much, there is a choice of cafes and restaurants for you to refuel at too.
For an eclectic mix of local arts and crafts, visit Todd Mall Markets. On every second Sunday of the month (except for in January), here you’ll find a choice of street eats, craft stalls, jewellery and Aboriginal art. Check the Todd Mall Markets website for exact dates.
Visiting Alice Springs is a once in a lifetime experience and if you’re searching for more speciality souvenirs, then begin to explore the variety of galleries – a chance to give back to the local community and artists. Australia is renowned for is incredible Aboriginal art, a form of storytelling, with earthy colours and deep meaning and best of all, art is a gift that will last a lifetime. Remaining on Todd Street, Talapi is a beautiful art space to discover as all art has been sourced directly from Aboriginal artists. Another great gallery is Papunya Tula Artists, which focuses on artists from the Western Desert communities. You’ll also find This Is Aboriginal Art, which is a two-level art gallery with studios and art for sale.
If you’re a t-shirt person, Lone Dingo has some nifty Larapinta Trail iconic t-shirts for you to pick up. And you can complete the look with an Aussie Akubra from Outbush Alice Springs.
For books as souvenirs, take home Aboriginal stories from IAD Press, with a small selection of books available for purchase and a library for you to slowly sift through the stories; page by page. To continue your book journey, you’ll also find Red Kangaroo Books close by too.
In our opinion, the best types of gifts are ones that we can use for years to come, and the Tjanpi Desert Weavers have created just that. Explore this little enterprise’s woven baskets and sculptures created from wild grass. Here you can learn about the incredible stories of weavers and see their creations in use. The Tjanpi Desert Weavers is a great incentive, and through purchasing here, you’re supporting the local community, allowing women in remote communities to be able to earn an income through their woven art. Not only will it make a beautiful gift, but it also has a fascinating story to tell with it.
By sharing these gifts with your loved ones back home you are also supporting independent art and the local community. Spend some time exploring Alice Springs and the impressive range of souvenirs on offer.
